On the Edge of an Unspoiled Universe
by karly05
Summary: It's New Year's Eve, Ferb is finally old enough for champagne, and he and Vanessa are going to the annual party thrown by Mayor Roger Doofenshmirtz. There are changes ahead, public and personal, as Stuff Starts Happening that will play into later stories. The T is just for safety as this is still a work in progress.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N – I am so relieved to finally have this story underway. It's one of those that has to happen before some other things can happen which have to be resolved before yet other things happen… (Similar to what I went through with having to write "The Other Kiss" before I could post "Our Mutual Friend" and "In Which Ferb and Vanessa are Expecting.")**

**This takes place on the New Year's Eve following "Candy Cane Christmas," which you really need to read before starting this.**

**Almost everyone appearing in this story belongs to Dan Povenmire and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh.**

"_Auld Lang Syne literally means 'old long ago.' But I'd rather think of New Year's as an unspoiled universe." – Ferb Fletcher_

On the Edge of an Unspoiled Universe - Chapter One

Ferb Fletcher sat on the foot of the bed, examining the shoe on his left hand with a critical eye. The black patent leather gleamed as he tilted it in the light until – there it was, one little speck marring the glossy surface. With a swipe of the shine cloth he dispatched it and gave the shoe another once-over. _Perfection_.

It was New Year's Eve, and a special one, at that. He and his fiancee – how he loved being able to call Vanessa that – were preparing to attend Danville's official celebration and at twenty-one, Ferb was finally old enough to partake of the traditional champagne. There had been rumors of some special guests and a big announcement at tonight's banquet, and Candace had teased some surprise for the family, as well. "Another baby," Vanessa had speculated, and Ferb suspected she was right, but he had remained tight-lipped so as not to spoil it.

He was just doing up his shoelaces when Vanessa appeared in the doorway. Without even thinking, he glanced in her direction and was rendered helpless for about the fourth time that evening. That little black dress was making her more stunning than usual. _Stunning beyond all reason_, thought Ferb, although it was less about the simple, classic style than the way she wore it. The strappy black stilettos and the rose tattoo visible above her left ankle kicked the whole effect up a notch and he just sat there and stared at her in a sublime state of bliss as she crossed the room to the dresser.

"Well, the kids are tucked in upstairs," she remarked with a touch of dry humor, picking up her black velvet evening bag and dropping a lipstick tube into it. "They've got popcorn and pizza and five kinds of candy and enough soda to fill a bathtub. Dad is going to be _so_ sick tomorrow. Thank goodness for Perry."

Ferb, having regained consciousness by this point, smiled and added, "And the Super '70s Disaster Movie Marathon on the Cinema Classics channel."

Vanessa emitted a chuckle, but added, "I feel a little sorry for Dad, spending New Year's Eve watching 'Cruisetastrophe' with a platypus. But at least it'll keep him from trying to wreck Uncle Roger's party this year."

"I'd have thought last year's De-Fizzinator debacle would have put a stop to that," Ferb noted.

"Oh, you know Dad. Hope springs eternal in the Evil Scientist's breast."

Every year, as part of his never-ending attempts to humiliate his brother and take over the entire Tri-State Area, Dr. Doofenshmirtz would crash the formal New Year's Eve party hosted by Danville's Mayor. And every year his schemes would blow up in his face, figuratively and usually literally. This year, Vanessa had pre-emptively enlisted Agent P to "babysit." Ferb hoped his future father-in-law and pet platypus would enjoy their popcorn-and-pizza-fueled all-nighter. Oddly enough, after a bit of a rough start, he was growing to like Vanessa's father. The man was rather brilliant, actually. In an evil-ish sort of way, yes, although Ferb had to admit, if he had suffered through all the dreadful things recounted in the Doctor's backstories, he'd probably want to wreak a little havoc on the world, too.

In his favor, Dr. Doofenshmirtz had provided Ferb and Vanessa with a place to stay for their holiday visit to Danville. Oh, not with him, none of them could have dealt with that. But Mrs. Thompson, who lived downstairs, had gone to Florida for a month, leaving her neighbor in the penthouse a spare key in exchange for a promise to water her plants. The Doctor had seized the opportunity to invite the two of them to bunk in the vacant apartment, and though Vanessa had questioned his authority to open up the woman's home to squatters, she hadn't turned him down. Ferb had volunteered to give the place a thorough sanitizing at the molecular level and make certain everything was left as they had found it before they headed back to Ackerton. It was a little weird living among someone else's possessions, but it was nice having the extra space, and you couldn't beat the price.

"Want to give me a hand with this?" Vanessa proposed now, holding up her necklace, a delicate spiderweb of silver and tiny pearls. Ferb took the ends in his fingertips and fastened it for her, then met her eyes in the mirror. She smiled at him in a doting manner and turned around to face him, hands smoothing his shirt front. Without comment, she took hold of the trailing ends of his tie and began deftly folding and looping. Ferb stood still, content to let her work at the bow until she gave it one final tug and a pat and said, as she always did on these occasions, "I still can't believe that the Amazing Ferb Fletcher can't handle a simple bow tie. One of these days I'm going to find out that you've just been faking this to make me feel good."

"No, it's true," he insisted. "I'm utterly helpless at it." Well, helpless might have been a bit of an overstatement, but he always had found the knot frustrating, and it was so much more fun to let Vanessa do it. Besides, he would never forget her elation at finally discovering _something_ he was inept at. Now her hands were taking a casual stroll over his shoulders, then one wandered up to tidy a stray lock of green hair before her fingers brushed his ear – _almost_ accidentally, he was sure – and Ferb began to think that he'd really rather not go to some silly old party tonight. Luckily, he was saved by the bell – or rather by the wail of an electric guitar coming from his cell phone.

"There's your brother," said Vanessa, taking a step back as Ferb reached for the phone.

"Grab my coat, would you?" he half-whispered to her as he picked up the cell and accepted the call. "Is this room service? We'd like a bottle of champagne and some chocolate-dipped… Who's giggling?" he demanded in an affronted tone, knowing perfectly well it was Isabella. Vanessa was smiling at his faux dramatics, and he winked at her in response.

"You're on speaker, bro," Phineas warned with a laugh. "We're at the stop light on Adjacent. Are you ready, or should we go around the block once?"

"Around the block," Isabella prompted in the background with another giggle.

"Better listen to your wife," Ferb advised his brother. "We'll be downstairs when you come back around."

They finished the call and Vanessa held out Ferb's black tuxedo jacket. As she helped him into it, she sighed. "You know, I really wish you could wear the white dinner jacket." They had had this conversation already, and she knew as well as he did that etiquette demanded the traditional black tuxedo for such an occasion. "Not that you don't look handsome," she was quick to assure him, turning him to face her and straightening his lapels. "But, the white jacket makes you look so… _dreamy._" She gave a little pink-cheeked smile at the embarrassing mushiness of the word, and Ferb answered the compliment with a kiss.

"Don't worry, you'll see enough of the white jacket when we get to Paris." Again fighting off the urge to simply stay in for the evening, he began gathering phone and keys. The car would be back around shortly and it was time to go. Vanessa was already checking the contents of her bag and slinging a black velvet wrap around her shoulders. Locking up the apartment, they rode the elevator down to the ground floor, Ferb keeping his hands in his pockets the whole way as a preventative to hitting the stop button and spoiling Vanessa's lipstick. _Plenty of time for that later, old chap._

Emerging from the DEI building, Ferb looked up and down the street for their ride. He had expressed some doubt that Phineas's high-tech hybrid muscle car could hold them all, but his brother had said not to worry, he had the situation covered. When Ferb glanced again to his left, he found out what "covered" meant.

A pink stretch limousine rounded the corner and cruised to a stop in front of them. Ferb heard Vanessa mutter, "Oh, you have got to be kidding." Concerned that the overpowering pinkness might render his darling ill, Ferb turned toward her, but she just gave him a half-stifled grin and a subtle roll of her eyes and he knew she was all right. The driver got out and came around to let them in. The chauffeur had dark brown hair and a goatee, and Ferb did a double take when he saw the man. It took him a moment to mentally replace the smart gray uniform with a ball cap, polo and cargo shorts before he made the connection.

"Paul?"

"Hey, Ferb, it's been a while. Looking good, my man," he gave an approving nod, then acknowledged Vanessa with a tip of his cap and a courteous, "Good evening, Miss."

As Paul opened the door for them and Vanessa entered the car, Ferb asked him, "What happened to the delivery service?"

"Oh, I'm still a Mobile Logistics Technician by day. But I'm moonlighting off and on. Hightail Limo Service," he explained. "We're branching out. When I heard you guys had booked a ride for tonight, I said, 'I'm taking that one.'"

Ferb gave him a congratulatory thumbs up as he hopped in the back and slid into the seat next to Vanessa. Paul shut the door and got back behind the wheel, and they were off.

"Sparkling cider?" Phineas offered, reaching toward the bar. "Mango smoothie, raspberry lemonade, Alpine spring water with a twist of lime? That's the best we've got, we're still too young for the hard stuff."

"I'd take some water," Vanessa requested, and Phineas filled a glass for her.

Ferb seconded this choice and politely remarked, "Isabella, you look lovely." She was wearing a shimmery long gown in a silvery pale pink tone that almost blended in with the upholstery. His comment prompted a flurry of compliments among them before he noted, "Mum and Dad didn't come?"

"Candace is bringing them," Phineas explained. "She volunteered to be the designated driver." He leaned toward them before confiding, "Isabella thinks she's pregnant."

"I don't know what else it could be," she countered her husband's skepticism. "Big announcement, designated driver, it seems pretty obvious."

"Oh, yeah, definitely," Vanessa agreed, and given this new piece of evidence, Ferb was convinced, as well. Of course, seeing the obvious never had been Phineas's strong suit.

Unfazed, he went on. "She said she could fit all of us in the minivan, but I wanted to do something special," the red-headed young man beamed at his wife, who squeezed his hand and kissed his cheek.

"He wanted one with a hot tub and a big screen TV," Isabella added, meeting Ferb's eyes with a look that said he would understand. "But I told him the pink was enough."

"Oh, I'd say the pink was more than enough." Vanessa spoke with sufficient sweetness to get away with the remark, and sufficient snark to make Ferb suppress a snicker. How could he not love this magnificent woman?

"Let's have a toast," Phineas raised his flute of sparkling cider and the rest of them touched their drinks to his.

"To the best New Year's Eve ever!"

_To be continued…_

**A/N – It's against all my better judgment to post this first chapter before I've even started writing the rest of the story, but what the heck. I struggled to come up with a limo driver, and was so excited when I thought of Paul the Delivery Guy! Oh, and just FYI, "Mrs. Thompson" is the neighbor Doof tries to convince to let him in the building when he's locked out in "Across the 2****nd**** Dimension." **


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Candace Petersen was packing the last necessities into Amanda's overnight bag. With a little sigh, she looked sadly at the purple backpack as she zipped it shut. Only last summer, everything had been Poppy the Pony Princess and Flowerfriend Fairies; now the face grinning back at her from the vinyl bag was the glittery teen pop visage of Ramona Arizona. _She is growing up way too fast._

"Honey?" Ambrose came into the kitchen. "I'm not having a lot of luck with this tie." He was still in his shirtsleeves, suspenders dangling from his waist, as he waged mortal combat with the lopsided bow at his neck.

"Here," Candace went to help him, "I'll do it. Stop pulling," she scolded fondly as he persisted in trying to wrestle the tie into submission. Brushing away his hands, she started plucking at the knot with her fingertips. "How did you get this so tangled up?"

"I'm really helpless, aren't I?" her husband confessed ruefully. "Can't even handle a simple bow tie."

"Oh, don't feel bad," she reassured him, and confided, "Ferb can't do this, either."

Her words had the expected effect as Ambrose's eyes went wide in shock and delight. "You mean there's actually something the Genius can't do?" A joyous laugh burst from him at this discovery. "Well, what do you know! He _is_ human."

"Oh, stop it," Candace swatted at his shoulder, although she was smiling, herself. Ambrose always had been a little intimidated by her stone-faced stepbrother. "Of course he's human. Although," she had the tie undone now and made a fresh start at it, "there was this time I watched all of the _Invasion of the Human Overlords_ movies in one night and I thought he'd been taken over by aliens." Wow, she hadn't thought about that in a long time. Had she ever told Ambrose that he looked a little like the hunky '50s actor who had starred in those movies?

"That's what I love about you, Candy Cane," Ambrose chuckled. "That crazy imagination."

"You sound like my Mom," Candace protested, finishing off the bow. "There you go. All handsome now." Hands on his shoulders, she reached up to kiss him, and he hugged her around the waist. She wouldn't have minded staying like that for a while, but the clock was ticking. "You'd better finish dressing, your ride will be here soon." Releasing him, she went to finish packing the smaller polka-dot bag sitting beside Ramona Arizona on the counter.

Observing her, Ambrose asked, "Did you put in the peanut butter bacon cookies?"

"No, just the chicken snacks and a can of the lamb and veggies."

"She likes the peanut butter bacon," Ambrose pressed, a disappointed furrow in his brow.

"She likes _everything_." Candace could actually feel the 'Mom' tone creeping into her voice. "And it's for one night; she's not going to starve." From the corner of her eye, she saw Ambrose begin to protest, and headed him off. "We're down to two cookies left, I'm not sending them with her. Mister Barkington will just get them away from her like a bully taking her lunch money. And those cookies cost two dollars a piece to begin with. She gets chicken snacks and canned lamb." Softening, Candace gave her fretful spouse a comforting smile. "Don't worry, Amanda and Gracie will end up stuffing her with hot dogs and gingerbread anyway." Zipping up the little doggie bag, she added, "I'm just glad Gwen let Amanda bring Trixie with her for the night."

As if on cue, there was a patter and clatter of shoes and paws on the stairs, and the girls in question came romping into the kitchen. "Mommy, we're ready," Amanda announced. "Is it time to go yet?"

Her little sidekick Trixie bounced in a circle around the kitchen until her bad front paw folded under her and dumped her on her nose, then the black and white dustmop of fur gave a snort and a shake and started sniffing around for something to eat.

"Almost," said Candace, as Ambrose hoisted their five-year-old daughter in his arms and put a kiss on her cheek.

"Excited about your sleepover, Manda Panda?"

"Yeah," the girl answered, "but I wish I could go to the fancy party with you."

"Oh, no you don't," he shook his head. "It's just going to be a bunch of boring grown-up stuff. You'll have a lot more fun with Gracie."

"Daddy's not going to make it to the fancy grown-up party, either, if he doesn't finish getting ready," Candace warned.

Ambrose looked at the kitchen clock and said, "Yikes! Thanks, boss," before he set Amanda on her feet and headed back upstairs for his jacket.

It was far from the first time Candace had attended the official _Happy New Year, Danville!_ party, and it wasn't the first time she and Ambrose had been there together, but it was the first time for Ambrose as a member of the City Hall staff. Two days ago, he had accepted the post of Communications Director for Mayor Roger Doofenshmirtz. The job didn't officially start until Tuesday, but Ambrose was already being inducted into the inner workings of municipal government, including his sudden involvement in the New Year's party plans. Only yesterday, he had come home with Big News – which he subsequently refused to share with her.

"Sorry, Candy Cane," he had said, fending her off with a kiss. "I'm sworn to secrecy. But the Mayor has some guests flying in, and there's going to be a surprise announcement at the party. That's all I can tell you. Honestly, I don't even know all the details; I _am_ the New Kid, after all," he had chuckled, pulling her in for another smooch.

_Speaking of the New Kid…_ Candace thought now, removing her apron and running a hand down the front of her teal ballgown. She and Ambrose had a more personal announcement to make to her family tonight. At least this pregnancy would go over better with them than the first one had.

llllllllllllll

Twenty minutes later, Ambrose was fidgeting with his cuff links as he sat in the back of the black town car. Beside him, Melanie Grissel, the Mayor's Executive Assistant, was pecking away at her phone, firing off messages in all directions. Ms Grissel was nearly as inscrutable to him as Ferb was, and his attempts to make conversation with her had led only to a few brusque responses. She had, at least, informed him about the Mayor's guests, and given him sharp instructions on how to approach and address them. His eagerness was shot through with a few darts of anxiety as the car pulled around to the back of City Hall and a Suit he hadn't put a name to yet whisked them inside.

"Ambrose, my boy," a jovial voice gave his anxiety a hearty punch in the nose and brushed it aside. Mayor Roger Doofenshmirtz, looking ready for the Red Carpet, took possession of him with a firm handshake and a clap on the shoulder. "Don't you look fine, just fine," he gave the young man an approving once-over. "Come and meet our guests. Oh, now, don't be nervous," the Mayor offered an encouraging pat on the back and a gleaming smile. "They're lovely people, I've known them for years. And I think you're going to find _her_ quite charming."

Behind them, Melanie gave a funny little snort, like a snide, half-strangled laugh, that made Ambrose wonder exactly what Mayor Doofenshmirtz considered "charming." Before he had much time to speculate, they entered a small conference room where half a dozen people awaited. The young woman in the peacock-colored ballgown had been partially obscured by her companions when the door first opened, but now she stepped out from among them.

Ambrose Petersen's jaw hit the floor. Honestly, he could almost have sworn he heard the _thunk_ and briefly thought, _I'd better pick that up…_ A dizzying barrage of _WhoWhatWhenWhere – HOW?_ assaulted his brain, leaving him stunned and speechless. It _couldn't_ be – but it was – but it _wasn't_.

For the first time in his life, Ambrose wished he had his green-haired brother-in-law beside him. Because it would have taken a genius to sort out what he was seeing…

_To Be Continued…_

**A/N – As far as I can find out, Melanie the Mayor's Secretary doesn't have a last name, so I gave her one. And I swear, when I first started writing P&F fics, if I had remembered that the Mayor's Secretary was named Melanie, I never would have made that the name of Ferb's bio-mom. But, hey, too late now!**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Candace wasn't used to riding in the back seat of her own minivan. She had driven to the Flynn-Fletcher Homestead on Maple Drive to collect her parents for the New Year's Party, but Dad had insisted on taking the wheel for the rest of the trip. He wasn't pushy – "pushy" wasn't in his vocabulary – but he had his own brand of stubbornness, mild-mannered and semi-oblivious, but with a bulldogged persistence that was a credit to his British ancestry. Candace had put up a brief show of, "No, Dad, it's fine, I'll drive," but he had countered with the chivalrous argument that his daughter and wife shouldn't have to hike in their high heels and fancy frocks all over downtown Danville from whatever remote parking spot they could find. Maneuvering her teal ballgown into the back seat, she was actually happy to hand over the keys. Her father, Matthew Flynn, would always hold a cherished place in her heart, but the older she got, the more Candace realized how lucky she was to have Lawrence Fletcher as her Dad.

Now Candace was sitting behind him, and Mom was all smiles when she looked back at her and said, "I can't wait to hear this big announcement of yours."

"Good thing we'll be there soon," Candace answered, deliberately shifting her gaze out the window.

"I wonder what it is," said Mom, in a smug tone that meant she already had a good idea. Then she started humming softly. Brahms' Lullaby.

Candace sighed. "Mom. I'm not saying a word until we're all there."

"Phineas thinks you're the new 6 pm anchor," Dad informed her. "Or else you're going on _Wake Up, USA!_"

"Oh, honey," now Mom cast her a look of alarm, "just please tell me you're not leaving Danville."

"No one's leaving Danville," Candace assured her. "And I'm not the new 6 – oh, my gosh, look at that!" She was distracted by a gleaming pink stretch limo that pulled up on their left at the stop light.

Dad saw it, too. "Well, someone's travelling in style tonight!"

Candace supposed it must be the Mayor's special guests. Ambrose was making such a big secret of them, however, that she kept the thought to herself. The pink limo made a left turn on the green arrow and cruised away in the direction of that weird-shaped building where Vanessa's father lived. A sudden thought jolted her as Dad accelerated the minivan forward through the intersection, and she nearly smashed her nose against the window glass trying to get another look at the limo. Ferb and Vanessa were staying there! And it would be just like a couple of bustable brothers she knew to splurge on some over-the-top transportation to the party! _No, Candace, that's crazy. And we're all adults now, anyway. Those busting urges are so ten years ago. Time for a nice, relaxing, adult evening._

A couple of minutes later, Dad pulled up in front of City Hall and let the ladies out, promising to join them once he had the minivan safely parked. Climbing the steps, Candace took the phone from her evening bag and touched an icon on the screen. "I wonder where Ambrose is."

"Let's check our coats and find the powder room," Mom suggested, heading inside.

Candace stopped by a pillar, however, still fiddling with her phone. "My reception's better out here. You go on, I'll catch up in a minute. I'll keep an eye out for Dad," she added.

"Okay, honey, I'll be right inside."

Not surprisingly, Candace's call went straight to her husband's voice mail, and she left a brief message to let him know that they had just arrived. She was still out front, idly watching for either Ambrose or Dad, when the pink stretch limo reappeared, gliding to a stop at the curb directly in front of her. The driver emerged – he looked sort of familiar, she pondered – and walked around to the back door of the vehicle. He assisted two young women from the car, one in black, one in pink, and Candace snapped to attention. She _wasn't_ crazy! In the wake of the ladies, out hopped a certain pointy-nosed red-head and his tall, green-haired brother. With a glowering, gloating show of teeth, Candace actually uttered the words, "Phineas and Ferb!" And with an instinct against which she was helpless, she scurried as quickly as she could in her high heels and big skirts into City Hall. "Mom!"

Her mother had already shed her coat and was heading back from the powder room. "Oh, there you are, Candace. Did you find Ambr-?"

"No time for that!" Candace seized her hand and dragged her toward the doors. "You are not going to believe this." It was surreal, how invigoratingly agitated she suddenly felt. "Phineas and Ferb," she panted. "Wait till you see…"

"Candace, it's freezing out here!" Mom protested, reduced to her sleeveless cocktail dress. Then she brightened up and called out to the group walking toward the steps. "Oh, hi, boys."

"But – but – but…" said Candace. The pink limo was nowhere to be seen. _Of course._

"Hi, Mom," Phineas called back cheerfully, and Ferb gave a wave. "Wow, you're freezing," he observed as he hugged her. "You shouldn't be out here without your coat."

"Tell that to your sister," Mom gave Candace an exasperated look. "Don't you girls look pretty," she remarked to Isabella and Vanessa as her sons flanked her on either side and each wrapped an arm around her to ward off the cold.

"But, the limo – " Candace protested, following the lot of them inside. "They had this _huge_ pink limo, the one we saw on the way here…"

Back in the warm lobby, Mom looked at Phineas. "You hired a _limo_?"

"Yeah," he beamed proudly, reaching out for Isabella's hand, as Ferb slipped an arm around Vanessa's waist. "We wanted to bring our ladies downtown in style!"

"Well," said Mom, "I think that's very romantic. Oh, look, here's your father," she noted as he approached.

"I got an absolutely brilliant parking space!" declared Lawrence as he joined them.

"Honey, guess what the boys did, it's the sweetest thing…"

"Urgh," Candace sighed, walking away to try Ambrose's phone again. _Some things never change._ Before her finger had even found the speed dial for him, though, she spied his head bobbing through the clusters of people in the lobby. He power-walked toward her with long, rapid strides, elbows flapping like a Christmas turkey that had just escaped the kitchen.

"Honey!Honey!Honey!" Ambrose's voice was a roaring whisper that desperately wanted to be a shout. "Candace!" He seized both her hands the moment he was within range. "You are not going to believe this!" His face was literally glowing, lit up with a delirious grin. "Wail till you see!"

He was tugging at her and she disengaged her hands and took a firm, loving hold on his lapels. "Whoa, there, big fella!" If she hadn't known better, she would have thought he'd made an early start on the champagne. "My family's here; we were going to tell them about the New Kid, remember?"

His gaze flashed over toward where the Flynn-Fletcher clan was chatting amongst themselves, and he said, "Oh, yeah, right, right…"

Candace took hold of his arm with both hands and steered him over to the family circle with a cheery, "Found him!"

"Oh, good," Linda enthused, breaking away to help draw him into the group with a light hug and a murmured, "Hi, Ambrose._ Now_," she looked at her daughter, "can we have the big news?"

"Well," Candace smiled at them, squeezing her husband's arm, "In about six months from now, there's going to be a New Kid in the family."

"Oh, I knew it!" Mom squealed, lunging past Ambrose to pull Candace into a crushing embrace. "Oh, how exciting!"

In the midst of the general flurry of congratulations, Phineas spoke up. "You mean, you're having a baby?" Ferb and Vanessa both smirked at him, and Isabella murmured, "Told you."

"Yeah, we're pretty excited," said Ambrose, extricating Candace from her mother's grasp. "Honey," he muttered into her ear, "I really need you to come with me, you have to see something…"

_Good grief,_thought Candace, pressing an elbow into his ribs as he pulled at her. What was he so worked up about? You'd have thought he had some brothers to bust. "We've got some other big news, too," she informed her family. "Ambrose, tell them about your new job."

This was sufficient to make him pause long enough to declare with a proud smile, "I'm the Mayor's new Communications Director." As this set off a new round of congratulations (and genuine surprise), Ambrose added, "and I really need to borrow my wife for a minute."

"Be right back!" Candace waved at her family as Ambrose swept her into the throng. "Honey," the word came out through her teeth, "what is going on?"

"You'll see," he chortled. "It's the most amazing thing, you're not going to believe it, _I _didn't believe it." He acknowledged the City Hall staffer who stepped aside and let them through a door off the lobby. As they walked down an empty hallway, Ambrose resumed his blathering. "Don't worry, I'll catch you when you faint. Oh, there's the Mayor," he noted, as Roger Doofenshmirtz stepped out from around a corner.

"Well, well," he smiled his gleaming smile. Candace was pretty sure this was not the surprise, but gamely shook the hand he offered. "If it isn't my favorite morning news anchor." The man actually sang a couple of bars of, "_Wake up, Danville, time to start a new day…_" before he gave a self-deprecating chuckle at this musical attempt and said, "You're looking lovely this evening."

"Is she here?" Ambrose asked him in a low voice.

"Right around the corner." Roger was also smirking in a mysterious way, Candace noticed, as he informed her, "Ambrose is very eager for you to meet our guest of honor."

Around the corner they led her, and Candace stopped in her tracks when she found herself face to face with a young woman in a peacock-colored ballgown. For less than a fraction of an instant, her brain said she was seeing a reflection, then the reflection lit up with shock and delight and the peacock ballgown came hurtling toward her.

"_Candace of Flynn?_"

The other woman squeezed her tight, and Candace, impulsively hugging back, stammered, "Princess Baldegunde?" From the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Ambrose, whose jaw was hanging in dismay.

"But- but- but…" he murmured in a confusion all too familiar to her.

Candace felt just a tiny twinge of guilt for ruining his surprise – or at least turning it into an entirely different surprise. She supposed she never had told him about the day she had spent as Drusselsteinian royalty.

Mayor Doofenshmirtz put a good face on the matter as he noted, "Well, it would appear you've already met."

The Princess let go and stepped back, holding Candace at arms length to get a better look at her. "Yes! And look, you are still my Doppelganger! How happy it makes me to see you again!" Baldegunde pulled Candace into another hug, then released her once more to add, "But I am now Queen Baldegunde." She pointed to the bigger and better crown on her head. "I have been coronated, yes?"

Suddenly struck by the understanding that she had probably just broken every rule of royal protocol, Candace retreated from her look-alike and attempted a curtsy. "Oh, your Majesty…"

"No, no!" Baldegunde exclaimed, pulling her upright. "You are my _Doppelganger!_ I cannot bow to myself. Oh, Candace of Flynn!" She giggled like the teenage girl she had been when they had first met and last seen each other. "You are making boring official party into American party of much fun! Where are my American brothers, Phin_ae_us and Fehrb? They are here?"

"Oh, yeah, they're here," Candace smiled.

"This will be a most happy making of New Year!" Baldegunde enthused, then she paused. "Oh, but Mr. Ambrose of Petersen," she addressed the man. "I have forgotten you. Candace of Flynn, I must beg you to make pardon of me. Mister Ambrose is the helper of Mayor Roger Doofenshmirtz and he has made wish for me to be given his wife." Responding to their slightly puzzled looks, the Queen quickly corrected herself. "Oop, I mean _presenting_ his wife for meeting of Royal Guest," she gestured to herself. Glancing around among them, she politely inquired, "So, where is Mrs. Ambrose?"

Since her husband still appeared to be stunned speechless by the discovery that his wife was already chummy with her astonishing double, Candace spoke up, arms spread in a gesture of _ta-da_. "I'm Mrs. Ambrose."

"You?" Queen Baldegunde's expression now mirrored that of Candace's husband. "You have made marriage with _him_?"

Candace took Ambrose's arm and rubbed it fondly to wake him up. "Five years," she smiled at her spouse. "We've got a little girl named Amanda, and we're having our second baby next summer."

"Th-that's right," Ambrose stammered, looking down at Candace and returning her smile. "She's my better half, all right."

Baldegunde still looked confused by this. "But…" The Queen opened her mouth to speak, and Candace realized just a moment too late what was about to come out of it. "But, what happened to cute blond boy with guitar?"

Candace felt her cheeks burning with embarrassment at this sudden mention of her old boyfriend and fought the urge to cover her husband's ears. Not that he didn't know about Jeremy – she and Ambrose had swapped a few basic facts about their previous romances when their own relationship started getting serious. But "old boyfriends" wasn't a topic Candace particularly cared to discuss, and it certainly didn't seem fair to subject Ambrose to it. She managed to force a painfully polite smile and simply said, "Oh, that didn't work out."

Queen Baldegunde's curiosity wasn't so easily quashed. "You have broken apart?"

With a shaky wave of her hand meant to look casually dismissive of the topic, Candace replied, "That was a long time ago." Snuggling against the man beside her, she gave him a reassuringly adoring gaze. "I'm really lucky to have this guy now."

"Oh, goody!" The Royal hands clapped together in delight, and Her Majesty gave Candace a teasing look. "Then you will no longer be telling me to stay away from cute boy?" She looked around, even though there was no one else in sight but the four of them. "Ooo, he is here for party, I hope!"

"Actually, he's in Ohio."

The Queen was undaunted by this. "How far from here is Ohio?"

Candace shook her head as she explained, "Too far. And besides, he's married."

"Oh!" This finally brought a halt to the inquisition and Baldegunde remarked cheerfully, "Oh, well, next time I will be making better luck, as Americans say."

Candace had spotted Roger Doofenshmirtz checking his watch during this conversation and now he quickly interjected, "Your Majesty, time to get ready for your grand introduction."

"Yes, yes, Roger Doofenshmirtz," she acknowledged this. "Candace of Flynn…" Baldegunde beamed fondly at her and hugged her again. "We will speak more together at party, yes? You will tell my brothers I expect to make dancing with both of them. Mr. Ambrose," she extended her hand and Ambrose took it and bowed to her. "Thank you for presenting your Mrs. Ambrose to royal Queen."

And with that, Queen Baldegunde of Drusselstein took the arm of Danville's Mayor and he escorted her away and out of sight.

Candace let out a surprisingly deep breath when they were gone. It was nice to see her Drusselsteinian duplicate again after all these years, but she hadn't anticipated having to discuss Jeremy Johnson with anyone, especially not in front of her husband, and now she muttered, "Well, _that_ was awkward."

"You can say that again," Ambrose agreed with a half-hearted attempt at a chuckle. "Why didn't you tell me you knew the Queen of Drusselstein?"

"I would have if you'd told me she was going to be here," Candace countered.

Ambrose took her hand as they turned and walked back toward the lobby. "Well, it could have been worse," he admitted. "Remember the day we ran into Suzy at the MegaStore?"

"Oh, yeah." Candace didn't try to hide her sarcastic tone as she grimaced. "How could I forget that?" She really didn't appreciate him dredging this up. Good grief, that was at least a couple of years ago. Jeremy's adolescent sister had taken her completely by surprise that day, shrieking out her name from two aisles away and tackling her in a hug. That was when Candace had learned that Jeremy was engaged to a girl he had met at his university in Ohio, and Suzy was devastated. From Suzy's account, Amy – Candace was pretty sure that was the girl's name, yeah, Amy – had eagerly embraced Suzy as a sister and had even asked her to be a bridesmaid. "She sounds nice," Candace had ventured, and Suzy had responded with that old familiar glower and a suspicious snarl of, "Yeah, a little _too_ nice." Candace couldn't have said, then or now, if Suzy had finally met her match at manipulation, or if she just missed having a sparring partner. She hoped it was the latter. Even though Candace and Jeremy had gone their separate ways, he had been her first boyfriend, and he deserved to be as happy as she was.

_To be continued…_

**A/N – Well, I know at least one person guessed the surprise! I hope I didn't totally mangle her dialogue. And no, Jeremy's not turning up at the party and this is all we're going to hear of him in this story. Coming up, the boys are going to cross paths with another familiar face from Drusselstein, and we are eventually going to check back in with Doof and Perry.**


End file.
